This is my comments on my 1st photo assignment. Its rather long and wordy. Do bear with me 
Today is the first time Michelle and I on an actual photo assignment. Although there were previous sessions with our supervisor but we didn’t really have the chance to snap here and there with the camera. We were just “dummy models” and learning from aside. This is really new and I’m really happy to be able to actually hold onto the camera for such a long period of time “playing” with it and play professional.
I will talk about my experience using a DSLR manual mode between the usual Point-and-Shoot-camera. Bottom line, DSLR is heavier and more expensive. Due to the weight, our hands may tremble while holding and maintaining the balance at the same time trying to take some shots, especially under the hot sun. So a tripod comes in handy. But personally, I do not like to use the tripod, it sort of hinders my actions, like I need to twist the tripod handle to one particular angle when without it, it’s not so time consuming. A tripod is suitable when the floor is flat, and there is sufficient space, with a fixed lighting, so that one need not move around that much. I was taught the correct positioning of the tripod. The tripod should be positioned in a triangle where one of the tips should be pointing at the angle one is taking. This is to maintain the stand’s balance. Moreover, reduce the risk of the stand toppling over with the camera’s life at stake.
Beginning, I wasn’t used to the zooming function. Firstly, previously was just pressing buttons on a P&S camera to zoom, whereas DSLR requires you to turn the lens. But I understand its advantages. The DSLR gives you the exact zoom one want, how much forward, how much backward. Instead of zooming it range by range, which is what a normal digital camera does. I was quite startled the amount of zoom it could zoomed to. I’m really a newbie when it comes to this. The purpose of the zoom lens actually does not only enlarge things, but also relates to the light control.
A P&S camera is definitely much easier to use compared to a DSLR. A P&S camera just requires you to look through the small LCD screen, and just take the shot, with a few occurrences of the flash flashing here and there due to insufficient light. Whereas, for a DSLR, you have to look through a tiny opening, sometimes straining your eyes to find the correct angle of photography. Although with the ease of use, a P&S camera does not serve the professional standard of photography with its already installed functions. Because the effects are all fixed, one cant really make any drastic changes to a setting taken. But a DSLR can, along with some turning and tuning. Although we cant control the surrounding setting, the light source and so on, but a DSLR can control the intake of light. Different intake results in different effect. Whereas a P&S camera, we are unable to control the intake of light. The amount of light entering the camera is controlled by aperture and the shutter speed. Pictures taken using a DSLR have richer colors compared to a P&S camera. It also allows easier editing on photoshop.
Upon mentioning about the light control, I did face some problems trying to fine tune and get the right exposure level for different settings. When taking the S.I.T. pole near the basketball court, due to the whether conditions, and the movement of clouds, there were times where there were too much sunlight and then it suddenly changes. In addition, due to my negligence, I was too focused on the models walking in the correct timing thus neglecting the surrounding setting. Resulting in taking part of an ugly lamppost. When under the shade, I did some test shots taking the School of Information Technology words on the entrance of BLK L level 3. I had fun trying to adjust the correct lighting but it turns out that they weren’t nice as commented by my supervisor.
Then we move on to the interior outside the lift. There’s where Michelle and I had problems adjusting the lighting, no matter what we adjust, the exposure meter still remains under exposed. We then change the mode to portrait, there’s when we tried using flash for the first time on a photo assignment. I found out one thing about using the flash, your subject is required to be within a certain range so that the picture would turn out alright. So we failed to take any pleasant pictures there thus we moved on.
We chose the area near the pond. Again, I made a lot of test shots, adjusting the lens, the aperture. I really had fun there despite the heat. The setting was nice, full of greeneries, having the fishes as companion and the models look simply great taking their shots there. But due to the trees, where I tried to avoid growing out of one of the model’s head, I had a hard time, or should I say terrifying time when I was so near the pond. I was afraid I will fall off. We were told to take some shots where the models were holding their laptops, and we were supposed to be able to take the content which the laptop screens shows. So there were many adjustments, positioning and so on required to do. In the end, due to the angle of sunlight, we weren’t able to fully capture what was the content. Also due to the sunlight, there were several shots where the female model’s face was too overly exposed. She have rather fair skin, thus with the sunlight, and the wrong angle of taking, not a lot of nice pictures were taken.
Next location was the main entrance, where poles were decorated with different banners representing each school. That area was rather dull, thus the pictures taken, were all focused on one point, which I find unbalanced in some way. The pole was too outstanding. In addition, with the insufficient light, we need to make use of the light shining from one angle. Thus we had problems trying to get a perfect composition. I think a reflector would come in handy at this moment. Moreover, the models were wearing black, thus the pictures taken were kind of dull. I took some shots at the beginning and exchange roles with Michelle. After snapping here and there, we call it a day.
